Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shillong Archidioecesis Shillongensis Ka Jyllañiam Bah Shillong
Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians
Location
Country	India
Ecclesiastical province	Province of Shillong
Statistics
Area	5,196 km2 (2,006 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2020) 1,219,370 342,169 (28.1%)
Parishes	36
Information
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Cathedral	Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians in Shillong
Secular priests	189
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Metropolitan Archbishop	Victor Lyngdoh
Website
shillongarchdiocese.org

Statue of Mary Help of Christians on the facade of the cathedral

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shillong (Latin: Shillongensis) is a Roman Catholic archdiocese in the state of Meghalaya, in northeastern India. The Archdiocese of Shillong is the metropolitan diocese of the Province of Shillong, an ecclesiastical province in Northeast India. It serves 342,169 followers in 36 parishes in the districts of East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi of Meghalaya.

History

• Established on 15 December 1889 as the Apostolic Prefecture of Assam on territory split off from the Diocese of Krishnagar
• 9 July 1934: Promoted as Diocese of Shillong
• Lost territory on 12 July 1951 to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dibrugarh
• Lost territory on 16 January 1964 to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tezpur
• 26 June 1969: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Gauhati–Shillong
• 22 January 1970: Renamed as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shillong–Gauhati
• Lost territory on 1 March 1973 to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tura
• Lost territory on 5 December 1983 to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Diphu
• Lost territory on 30 March 1992 and renamed as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shillong to establish the now Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Guwahati
• Lost territory on 28 January 2006 to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nongstoin
• Lost territory on 28 January 2006 to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jowai

Cathedrals

The cathedral of the Archdiocese is the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, in Shillong. It was built over 50 years ago. This place of worship stands on the very site of the first Church built by the German fathers (Salvatorians from Germany).

The earlier 1913 building – the Church of the Divine Saviour – was a wooden structure. It was destroyed in the Good Friday fire of 10 April 1936. Built by the first Catholic missionaries to set foot on these hills, the Salvatorians from Germany, it was the first Catholic Cathedral in what was then the Mission of Assam.

Ordinaries

Apostolic Prefects of Assam

• Fr. Otto Hopfenmüller, Salvatorians (S.D.S.) (1890)
• Fr. Angelus Münzloher, (S.D.S.) (1890 - 1906)
• Fr. Cristoforo Becker, (S.D.S.) (1906 – 1921)
• Fr. Louis Mathias, S.D.B. (December 15, 1922 – July 9, 1934 see below)

Bishops of Shillong

• Louis Mathias, S.D.B. (see above 9 July 1934 – 25 March 1935), later Metropolitan Archbishop of Madras (India) (1935.03.25 – 1952.11.13) and Metropolitan Archbishop of (renamed) Madras and Mylapore(India) (1952.11.13 – 1965.08.02)
• Stephen Ferrando, S.D.B. (26 November 1935 – 26 June 1969); previously Bishop of Krishnagar (India) (1934.07.09 – 1935.11.26), later Titular Archbishop of Troina (1969.06.26 – 1978.06.21)

Metropolitan Archbishops of Gauhati–Shillong

• Hubert D Rosario, S.D.B. (1969.06.26 – 1970.01.22 see below), previously Bishop of Dibrugarh (India) (1964.07.06 – 1969.06.26)

Metropolitan Archbishops of Shillong – Gauhati

• Hubert D’Rosario, S.D.B. (as above 26 June 1969 – 30 March 1992 see below)

Metropolitan Archbishops of Shillong

• Hubert D’Rosario, S.D.B. (as above 30 March 1992 – 30 August 1994)
• Tarcisius Resto Phanrang, S.D.B. (2 August 1995 – 5 May 1999), previously Titular Bishop of Corniculana & Auxiliary Bishop of Shillong (India) (1990.06.11 – 1995.08.02)
• Dominic Jala, S.D.B. (22 December 1999 – 10 October 2019)
• Victor Lyngdoh (28 December 2020 – Present)

Ecclesiastical Province of Shillong

The Province of Shillong comprises the following suffragan dioceses that has Shillong as its metropolitan see:

• Agartala
• Aizawl
• Jowai
• Nongstoin
• Tura

Parishes

The Archdiocese of Shillong comprises 36 parishes divided into 7 zones:

Zone 1

• St. Dominic Savio Church, Mawlai
• St. Joseph's Church, Mawkhar
• St. Paul's Church, Upper Shillong
• St. John the Apostle Church, Laban
• Church of the Visitation, Mawprem

Zone 2

• Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, Laitumkhrah
• Divine Saviour Church, Nongthymmai
• Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Pynthorumkhrah
• Sacred Heart Church, Nongmensong
• St. Mary's Church, Mawpat

Zone 3

• St. John Bosco Shrine, Sohra
• Resurrection Church, Pynursla
• Blessed Sacrament Church, Laitlyngkot
• Mary Queen of Peace Church, Laitkroh
• Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Laitkynsew
• St. Mother Teresa Church, Nongshyrngan

Zone 4

• U Khrist Jingshai Church, Marbisu
• St. Francis Xavier's Church, Mawsynram
• Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary Church, Dangar
• St George's Church, Wahlang
• Sacred Heart Church, Diengïei
• St. Stephen Church, Sawsymper

Zone 5

• Good Shepherd Church, Jongksha
• Holy Cross Church, Mawkynrew
• Divine Mercy Church, Mawryngkneng
• St Joseph's Church, Laitkor

Zone 6

• Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Nongpoh
• Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Umkadhor
• Mary Mother of God Church, Umsning
• St. Francis of Assisi Church, Byrnihat
• Lum Sinai Church, Umden

Zone 7

• Epiphany Church, Mawbri
• Church of the Ascension, Umsohlait
• St. Paul's Church, Mawlasnai
• St. Francis Xavier Church, Umbir
• St. Francis of Assisi Church, Umsiang

Saints and causes for canonisation

• Ven. Stephen Ferrando^[1]
• Servant of God Constantine Vendrame, SDB^[1]
• Lorenz Hopfenmuller (Otto)^[2]

References

Sources and external links

Wikisource has the text of a 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia article about Apostolic Prefecture of Assam.

• GCatholic.org, with incumbent biography links ^{[self-published]}
• Catholic Hierarchy ^{[self-published]}
• Archdiocese website

25°34′N 91°53′E / 25.567°N 91.883°E / 25.567; 91.883